Newman's Day
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A Princeton University tradition involving drinking 24 beers within a 24 hour period. Held every April 24th by students at Princeton, it is also held at other colleges in the United States. The event is not officially sanctioned by any university.
Connection to Paul Newman
The origins of this tradition are shrouded in mystery, however some claim 'Newman' refers to Paul Newman. It is said that Newman gave a speech at Princeton on April 24th and ended by saying "I think I'll go have a beer." Other rumors attribute the line "24 hours in a day, 24 beers in a case. Coincidence? I think not," to Newman as well. Neither of these statements has ever been confirmed and Newman has stated that he is opposed to the tradition.
The event received extreme media attention in 2004 after Newman's lawyer sent a letter to Princeton University (and more significantly forwarded a copy to New York Times) complaining about the tradition. This resulted in swarms of reporters around campus but the celebration continued.
Kenyon College, Newman's alma mater, has celebrated Newman Day on March 30, the anniversary of the actor's first Academy Award. The day revolves around not only drinking, but also community service projects and charity work. Newman, in a letter sent to the campus, did not condone the drinking, and hoped for good works of charity to be performed instead.